This election season has sparked a lot of controversy, one that revolved around electing either our first woman president or a real estate tycoon and reality TV star.

Electing our next president is one of the most important duties we as citizens have on our shoulders.

Although this didn’t affect Iowa citizens, there were four states voting on the legalization of medical cannabis and five states voting on recreational use of marijuana. Arkansas, Florida, Montana and North Dakota gave their residents the ability to vote yes or no to legalizing medical cannabis, while Arizona, California, Maine, Massachusetts and Nevada are voting for recreational use.

As a member and advocate for Americans for Safe Access, I am ecstatic to see these states giving their residents the ability to voice their opinions about this controversial issue.

Allowing medical cannabis for individuals in these states would be a huge step forward for those who have no other options to turn to. There are many residents of all states that are already finding relief from medical cannabis to help with chronic ailments like cancer, epilepsy, Crohn’s Disease, multiple sclerosis, glaucoma and many more, but my question is “Why not Iowa?”

A comprehensive medical cannabis law was proposed to the Iowa House in 2014, but never passed any subcommittees. This year, our bill made it a little further but was shot down on the House floor.

Iowa law has an extremely tight grip on what and how much medical cannabis one can possess. Most Iowans, 78 percent in fact, are in support of medical cannabis, so why aren’t our House Representatives representing us?

I know of families who have become medical refugees and have gone to Minnesota, Colorado,